Crimean War - Alaskan Invasion
- Thread starter Wolfhound
- Start date
A gentlemen's agreement between the Hudson’s Bay Company and the Russian-American Company "stopped" them.
It was about the Russians, French and British fighting over control or controlling influence over the declining Ottoman Empire. Britain wanted to maintain it's naval and economic supremacy in the Mediterranean, as well as retain that presence in the Black Sea as well. The Crimean War wasn't about the British wanting to spite the Russians, there was something in particular in the region at stake.
Alaska, on the otherhand, was too big to sufficiently defend, and too big to want to capture all at once, and seemingly of little value at the time. This was long before they found oil there. Before, that Alaska was known for it's fur-trapping.
Besides, Britain already had Canada. Plenty of fur-trapping to be had.
Alaska, on the otherhand, was too big to sufficiently defend, and too big to want to capture all at once, and seemingly of little value at the time. This was long before they found oil there. Before, that Alaska was known for it's fur-trapping.
Besides, Britain already had Canada. Plenty of fur-trapping to be had.
Nikephoros
Banned
Alaska could be seen as a place to build a naval base, but is hardly necessary and not one of the goals of the British in that war.
Had gold been discovered earlier, things would get interesting. One of my favorite what ifs is a British invasion of Alaska and the Crimean War still going
by the time of the 1857 Indian Mutiny.
by the time of the 1857 Indian Mutiny.
no
Wouldn't have been worth the effort considering their goals.
Alaska isn't very well developed now, I can't imagine how difficult travel and logistics would have been during the Crimean War. Especially considering how little there was to gain. Russia never took it very seriously and made no real effort to improve it. Even the US was skeptical of buying, feelign they wouldn't get much more than timber and furs.
Wouldn't have been worth the effort considering their goals.
Alaska isn't very well developed now, I can't imagine how difficult travel and logistics would have been during the Crimean War. Especially considering how little there was to gain. Russia never took it very seriously and made no real effort to improve it. Even the US was skeptical of buying, feelign they wouldn't get much more than timber and furs.
Grey Wolf
Donor
Well, its worth noting that the 'Crimean' War saw fighting in the White Sea, in the Sea of Okhotsk and in the Baltic so it wasn't so much a regional fight as all that
The main reason that Alaska wasn't attacked was because it wasn't worth it - thats what the gentlemen's agreement was all about really, neither side wanted the hassle of diverting forces to a frozen wilderness just to oppose the other side fighting over a frozen wilderness. There was nothing that was seen of any strategic value there.
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
The main reason that Alaska wasn't attacked was because it wasn't worth it - thats what the gentlemen's agreement was all about really, neither side wanted the hassle of diverting forces to a frozen wilderness just to oppose the other side fighting over a frozen wilderness. There was nothing that was seen of any strategic value there.
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
Alaska was quite advanced for an isolated colony before it was sold to the USA.
The USA mostly did not care although the supporters of the purchase clearly outnumber the opponents.